Speak Africa Network Recommendations

(Speak Africa)--Speak Africa Network recommendations on ‘Investing in agriculture for economic growth and food security’ compiled in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 25 June 2009.

For the past four months, we, the young people of the Speak Africa continental network, have been consulting through face to face focus groups, express exchange, online discussions, SMS, opinion polls, and a ‘connecting classrooms’ initiative on the theme of the 13th ordinary summit of the African Union: ‘Investing in Agriculture for Economic Growth and Food Security’. With inputs from each region of Africa and opinions of youth aged 15 to 35 years, we make the following recommendations to the heads of State and government of Africa:

1. In keeping with commitments made in 2006 by African heads of State and government in Banjul, the Gambia for adoption of the African Youth Charter, action needs to be taken on the provisions of Article 14 on poverty eradication and socio-economic integration of youth. Specifically we are calling on member states to:

• Include in national rural development policies specific strategies and incentives for young people including land grants, access to credit housing, educational, cultural and information technology opportunities so there will be more incentive for young people to want to live and work in rural areas.

• Provide special incentives (e.g. scholarships and stipends) for young people (including girls) to enter training programmes related to agriculture.

2. We urge the heads of State and government to use the opportunity of the 13th ordinary summit of the African Union to secure the final two member state ratifications required to have the African Youth Charter enter into force. Beyond the additional two, we request all remaining member states to take their 2006 commitment seriously, to honour their long-outstanding promise to ratify the African

Youth Charter, to move beyond the mere recognition of youth as a social group that is marginalised in decision making processes and to systematically make way for our meaningful participation both at country and continental levels.

3. Noting that the mandate for all governments is to see the comfort of their citizens by ensuring all socio-economic entitlements, we assert that food is not only a necessity, but a right for all. It should not be a merchandise to be bought and sold as jewels are bought and sold by those who have the money to buy. Food is a human necessity, like water and air; and it should be available to all. We request member states to accelerate action on their commitment given at the September 2008 Windhoek conference on Social Policy to develop national social protection plans of action that will ensure establishment of systems to ensure food security for the most vulnerable.

4. Remembering that in July 2003, the AU summit endorsed the Common African

Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) and adopted the Maputo Declaration on agriculture and food security, we humbly ask our governments to respect the 10 per cent budget allocation in agriculture.

5. Concerned with the inequity seen in land distribution, we ask for the development of legal instruments that will ensure young people’s right to use and own land, including protection of minors that have lost their parents to HIV/AIDs and other circumstances.

6. Deeply concerned with policies that are allowing control of land by multinational corporations and outside entities, we urge the heads of State and government to review current polices and ensure provisions that will protect the land and economic interests of our present and future generations and ensure more sustainable development.

7. Recognising that the limited ability to add value in agricultural produce coupled with high production costs makes most African agricultural exports less competitive in the global markets, we ask the heads of State and government to formulate polices that will enable our countries to value-add on produces by keeping down agricultural export taxes, providing special crop insurance for our farmers, developing new regional trade initiatives for African agricultural products to survive in the global market place.

8. Commending some of the concrete and innovative efforts being put in place by our heads of State and governments to alleviate poverty in the continent and to bring lasting solutions, we ask our governments to increase investment on research in agriculture to improve productivity and yield without genetic modification, especially in small scale farming and to ensure that small scale farmers themselves are consulted so that new solutions will be relevant, appropriate and acceptable.

Signed,

The Speak Africa Youth Network

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